Updated 10:43 am, Wednesday, July 16, 2014

In a news conference Monday to discuss construction progress for BARC's new adoption center, Parker said the 2015 spring grand opening for the building will signify a new beginning for the long-troubled shelter.

"Frankly for decades, BARC was a mess," Parker said. "Now it is staffed by business-minded people who still have a heart for animals."

The new adoption center will allow BARC to separate the adoption process from the animal regulatory process, which is now pushed together into the dome-shaped building at 3200 Carr in north Houston. A separate adoption center will provide for a better experience, officials said.

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Parker also announced the monthly live release rates for BARC in January and February, the highest in history at 72 percent of more than 3,200 animals brought in during the two-month period. Animal rights advocates have often criticized BARC for the thousands of animals it euthanizes each year.

Every year, BARC takes in about 25,000 animals.

In June, the shelter's live release rate slid back to 51 percent, after taking in about 2,500 animals.

BARC can release more animals because of its partnership with the Rescued Pets Movement, officials said. More than 2,600 animals have been shipped to non-profits and adoption groups in Colorado since RPM started working with BARC in October 2013.

Cindy Perini, co-founder of the Rescued Pets Movement, said BARC has transformed into a more humane shelter.

"BARC was so unfriendly toward rescue, it's like a complete 180," Perini said.

City Council also approved a $2.9 million increase to BARC's budget for fiscal year 2015.

With additional resources, BARC plans to hire 22 new full-time employees, 12 of whom will be animal control officers.

BARC's Animal Control is also expected to respond to more calls, but still less than half of the requests for service they receive a year. It's projected to respond to 40 percent, up from 25 percent of service requests, according to officials.

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